Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 72

Devanagari script

ऐशान्यामीश्वरं विंद्यादाग्नेय्यामग्निरुच्यते । नैऋतेति विरूपाक्षं पवनं वायुगोचरे

Transliteration

aiśānyāmīśvaraṃ viṃdyādāgneyyāmagnirucyate | naiṛteti virūpākṣaṃ pavanaṃ vāyugocare

Translation

Au nord-est, l’on doit reconnaître Īśvara ; au sud-est, Agni est proclamé. Au sud-ouest se tient Virūpākṣa ; et dans le domaine de Vāyu se trouve Pavana (le Vent).

Word by Word

• aiśānyām: in the north-east (direction)
• aiśānyām: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aiśānī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative of place/direction)

• īśvaram: Īśvara (Lord)
• īśvaram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म (object)

• vindyāt: one should know/recognize
• vindyāt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vid (विद्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• āgneyyām: in the south-east (direction)
• āgneyyām: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āgneya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण (direction)

• agniḥ: Agni (fire-god)
• agniḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्ता

• ucyate: is said/called
• ucyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वच्)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• naiṛtā: in the south-west (direction)
• naiṛtā: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: naiṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; (दिक्-विशेषः) अधिकरण

• iti: thus/so (quoting)
• iti: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: इति-शब्दः; उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्तिसूचक (quotative particle)

• virūpākṣam: Virūpākṣa
• virūpākṣam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: virūpa + akṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म; समासः—कर्मधारय (विरूपः अक्षी यस्य)

• pavanam: the wind (Pavana)
• pavanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pavana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म (apposition to virūpākṣam)

• vāyu-gocare: in the region/domain of Vāyu
• vāyu-gocare: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāyu + gocara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण; समासः—तत्पुरुष (वायोः गोचरः = वायुगोचरः)

Speaker

Sūta (deduced from Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa narrative style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A four-quadrant directional tableau around a central shrine: Īśvara in the northeast with serene Śaiva aura; Agni blazing in the southeast; Virūpākṣa fierce in the southwest; Pavana as wind-god in the northwest, all guarding Prabhāsa.

Characters & Entities

• Īśvara
• Agni
• Virūpākṣa
• Pavana/Vāyu

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred space is dharmically structured: knowing the Lord and the presiding powers of each direction supports correct worship and inner alignment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, described through a directional theology that elevates the site as a complete sacred mandala.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A directional recognition/placement (nyāsa of space): identify Īśvara, Agni, Virūpākṣa, and Pavana in their respective quarters during worship.